


I'll Follow You

by Aguu



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Winter Soldier (Comics)
Genre: Blood and Violence, Dark, Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Sex, F/M, Falling In Love, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Kidnapping, Love Confessions, Near Death Experiences, Panic Attacks, Past Torture, Slow Burn, Soulmates, Superpowers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-12 12:35:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28635588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aguu/pseuds/Aguu
Summary: The cold metal of his gun shines brightly amidst the flames that rise against the wintry night with the golden heat. The Winter Soldier clenches his jaw and tightens his grip around your waist.Wherever he may go, you will follow.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Original Female Character(s), James "Bucky" Barnes/Reader
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20





	I'll Follow You

It all starts with an explosion.

A lighthearted grin spreads upon your lips as you open the passenger door to your father’s old SUV. He couldn’t be more proud of you, you can see it in his eyes, and in the way the corners of his lips twist into a bright smile.

You’ve got the job!

 _That’s my girl_ , he says with a low, watery chuckle. _Congrats!_

You rub your cheeks apace, all teary-eyed and merry, and your face flushes with high-color. You’re too lost for words to think of anything smart to say right now. Therefore, the only thing that comes out of your mouth is a shy and quiet thank you, that’s it, and that’s probably because you’re still struggling to keep your own tears at bay.

 _You’re down for a little celebration?_ Your dad asks with a hint of a rasp in his deep voice. His lips lift upwards invitingly, crinkling a dimple inside his right cheek. His forehead stretches with an intricate map of deep wrinkles.

You nod and fasten your seatbelt, humming in reply.

Your eyes squeeze shut. You can’t speak, can’t find the right words to express what is bubbling inside your chest. You’re ready to burst with joy and pride, but at the same time you just want to run away, overwhelmed by unexplainable fear and anxiety.

 _No_ , you won’t run. You’re tired and chilled to the marrow. Winter has come, all crisp and powerful, and it leaves you dreaming of much warmer times, of petite skirts, and bouquets of full-blown florets. Though - for the longest of moments – you’re enthralled by the wintry world you see through the window. It shines with reds, blues, and greens of the Christmas lights dangling from almost every building all over the city. Heartfelt waves of laughter fly above the sea of clothed heads; warm whispering floats across the sky, and into the very core of a human soul.

Funny, the world no longer seems so… _complicated_. After everything you’ve been through, life really does seem to be worth living again.

You grin like a child.

But then your father starts the engine, and…

**BOOM!**

_It all starts with an explosion.._.

* * *

Your father’s dead.

The first thing you see is his face, glued to the wheel of the wrecked car, ripped apart by the blow so badly that his teeth are left exposed. There’s the stream of crimson oozing and gushing with sickening determination from the hole inside his chest. His eyes, once filled with vivid light, are now blank and lifeless, wide open. Staring.

You refuse to look away, even as your lips tremble with the first signs of a panic attack.

He’s gone. Just like that.

The driver’s side of the car is completely destroyed. All that remains is a pile of mangled metal surrounded by a fist of grey smoke.

You can feel the adrenaline coursing through your system. You know you’re in shock. It sits on you like a pillow over your mouth and nose - you can’t breathe, your throat is closed, your mind is swirling. But then, when you finally find your voice, you take the deepest of breaths into your lungs and _cry_. _Loud_. You shout with true violence, like a wounded animal caught in a trap; as if your pain was a physical, open wound. You’re sobbing hysterically in a miserable attempt at silencing the deafening echo of the explosion still pounding wildly in your ears.

It lasts for God knows how long… until you hear another explosion, somewhere across the street, and a colossal ball of flames erupts from one of the smaller cars, burning with colors you didn’t know existed.

You jump in your seat. Panic attacks you swiftly, overwhelming all of your senses. Your hands tremble wildly and it seems impossible to unfasten the seatbelt right now. Then the flames engulf yet another car, the one on the parking lot just a few meters away, reducing it to nothing but ashes in a matter of seconds.

_Another explosion._

_Fuck, fuck, FUCK!_ You thunder furiously, frustration boiling deep in your system, as hot as lava. And when you finally manage to unfasten your safety belt, you tumble out of the remnants of the SUV onto the cold asphalt with a loud _thud_.

You can hear people shouting, rage and heat present in their voices. Gunshots pierce through the night air, surrounding you all around. Fear grips your heart.

Screams. Cries. Heavy footsteps.

Curling into a little ball, you quickly scan your surroundings, but the dark smoke erupting from the nearby vehicles efficiently blocks your line of sight. You know you’re supposed to run, but the fear keeps you in place, it chains you to the ground, and you can’t help but become a slave to it.

_Another explosion._

Just around the corner.

You gasp, covering your ears so tightly it almost hurts.

_Breathe in._

_Breathe out_.

And then, all of a sudden, you feel a pair of broad, leathery hands tighten around your shoulders. You want to scream, but your throat can’t produce a single sound, so you take another breath instead, in an effort to loosen the tightness in your chest. You look over your shoulder, trying to swallow the sour taste of blood upon your tongue.

Is this even your blood…?

All color drains from your face just as you meet the eye of the stranger.

_The Winter Soldier._

He moves closer, kneeling beside you, with his blood-soaked hands raised in an act of surrender. His mouth is moving, but all you can hear are the echoes of the primal screams cutting through the night sky.

 _Wh- What’s happening_ , you whisper through the tears, trembling from the frightful experience, fighting off the pounding in your chest.

His cold irises shine brightly with the spark of concern, thick eyebrows knit together. You think he tries to tell you something, but you don’t get the chance to register any of it. The fear still torments your mind, making you feel dizzy, almost blurred in time and space. Every breath feels like sucking in the air out of your own tomb.

 _Shhh_ , he coos, holding your face with his gloved hands. You can only see his eyes now, big and shiny, as open and honest as any child’s, warmth and safety, so close that you can see yourself in him.

 _It's okay_ , he soothes you again. _You know I’ve got you now, I’m right here, you're not alone anymore,_ he mutters, and – to your utter surprise – you lower your guard down for a moment, you let him in, and it stops your trembling.

Though it's still fucking hard to breathe, the fear no longer speaks to you in its cackling voice. Your heart aches a little less. You trust him. _You trust The Winter Soldier._

 _That's it_ , he murmurs, carefully smoothing and straightening some unruly strands of your hair with both hands. Though you lean into his touch, your body still remains rigid with tension. _Now, listen to me_ , he whispers beneath his heavy breath. _Just stick to me, do exactly as I say, and I’ll get you outta here. Got it, sweetheart?_

You look at him with your eyes slightly narrowed and nod, not being able to utter a single word in response.

 _That’s my girl_ , he murmurs fondly, welcoming you into his tight embrace, steadying you, rooting you to his side.

A short groan of sadness flies past your lips. _My dad used to say that_ , you think, staring up at him in awe.

He’s all you have now, your only chance at possibly surviving this hell. And yet, there’s a bit more to it, it seems. You’re anchored in his calmness; it almost absorbs the spinning behemoth of a hurricane raging inside of you. You’re not breathing all wrong anymore.

You snuggle up to his warm body, muttering a small _thank you_ into his shoulder. Your eyes close just for a second. You’re breathing him in, hoping that he's real, and not just some kind of an illusion made up by your delirious mind.

Ever so gently, he puts a finger under your chin, forcing you to look him straight in the eye.

 _Ready?_ He asks in a voice so small it almost vanishes with the wind. You clear your throat, staring deep into his eyes.

_Yes._

Apparently, that simple answer is all he needs, because something shifts in his gaze, right there and then. His eyes become tight around the edges, and you’re blinded by a bitter rage laid bare in them. Anger churns somewhere deep within him, absolutely greedy for destruction. Seeing it feels surprisingly satisfying.

The cold metal of his gun shines brightly amidst the flames that rise against the wintry night with the golden heat. The Winter Soldier clenches his jaw and tightens his grip around your waist.

Wherever he goes, you will follow.

**Author's Note:**

> Forgive me for any mistakes! English is obviously not my mother tongue. Hopefully, you'll still like the story. There's so much more to come :) 
> 
> ~ Aguu


End file.
